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2013: the year that social media enables the feminist revolution

One of the great things that will happen in 2013 is that feminists currently working in isolation will get together. Social media will enable this to happen. Like the “Arab Spring” swelling of outrage, disgust and the need for change in 2011, in 2013 something similar will happen to bring feminists together across the world. The final result will be a safer and more equal world, there will be bloodshed and trauma along the way though, unfortunately. Why do I think this? Well, since I got upset about having a difficult time at mainly male conferences in the 1990s and set up BCSWomen, through becoming desperate to highlight the contribution of women at Bletchley Park in 2003, to having stuff like this written about me in 2011, I’ve been keen to support and encourage women both in tech, and in general. In the 1970s I used to get fed up with the fact that there were hardly ever any women on Top of the Pops “because women aren’t very good at making music”. I didn’t believe it then and time has proved that it wasn’t true. The older I get the more I think we really need to challenge stereotypes, get out there and make change happen ourselves.

I’m 51 this year and can’t believe that we really don’t have equality for women yet, will we see it in my lifetime? I really hope so. Once we do have equality things will be better for everyone, not just women.